| Psychotropocities Essay, Research Paper
Due to many misconceptions and severe lack of understanding, drugs have no place in today s society. The lack of understanding is where most radical rumors and modern mysticism ha molded society s misconceptions of drugs. Many illegal drugs through testing have proven to have many medicinal purposes and are now used today. Some drugs, such as psychedelics, have been said to possess weird wonders, which when used in religion have been helpful and enlightening. Beyond today s modern ideal misconceptions about psychedelic drugs, such as LSD or peyote, there lies many medical fields which could utilize these drugs to help with numerous mental disorders, and next to them are religions which could obtain a better grasp of the unknown through its enlightening properties.There are two specific psychedelic drugs mentioned throughout this paper. One is LSD and the other is peyote. Though there are a very diverse variety of psychedelic drugs. Some of these found naturally include the following, belladonna, hen bane, jimson weed, mandrake, marijuana, nightshade, peyote, morning glory seeds, and mushrooms. There are also some manmade psychedelics, the ones such as mescaline and psilocybin one must take into consideration that the process of separating these chemicals takes a human, and therefore is not naturally found alone, lysergic acid diethlymide, DMT, ketamine, MDA, PCP, TMA, psilocybin, and mescaline (Drug Free Resource Net 1998). These are but a few but most likely the most commonly through the world. LSD and peyote are very common and while one is artificial the other occurs naturally. LSD affects the body and mind in many ways. Though the mind-altering effects are not fully understood we can pretty much tell why it effects the body like it does. LSD is a clear, odorless liquid that when taken into the body alters the mind and body and it may last anywhere from three to twelve hours. LSD will affect sensory changes and emotional changes. In spite of LSD not being addictive, users may become psychologically dependant ( Littel 24). Today s average dose is much less potent than that of the doses in the sixties . Paper is the most common mode of transportation but there are numerous mobilization techniques ( 1 ). LSD s effect on the body may include an elevated body temperature and an increase in blood pressure. Increased heart rate is also common and an increase in perspiration. Users pupils will dilate and a feeling of sleeplessness due to an increase in energy levels. LSD may cause dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath headaches and numbness, but keep in mind this is not a definite but simply a maybe ( Drug Free Resource Net 1998). Lophophora Willimisii or peyote grows wild from central Mexico to northern Texas, and its usage dates back to 300 BC Peyote buttons are usually eaten directly off the cacti, but may come in capsule form, tea, Jell-O type desserts, or an enema. About 350 milligrams of mescaline must be consumed for a psychotropic experience. Usually about six to ten buttons are consumed to attain the desired affect the peyote has to offer. The experience may last six to twelve hours depending on the person and the amount consumed. A peyote trip usually has three stages, the buildup, peak, and the ease. The buildup begins with minor perceptual changes and a shifting of consciousness, in additions to feeling and inner tranquillity and the oneness with life. One s awareness becomes heightened by rapid thought flow. Once the peak begins everything will melt into it self. Colors will become intense and visuals will occur. Ones perception of reality is altered, at this point one can close his/her eyes to discover a projection of wildly colorful and perpetual change of patterns on their mind screen. A while after the ease kicks in the intensity relaxes, then the thought flow starts to slowly wind down and become less discombobulated. During the later part of the ritual the mind turns to thoughtful contemplation and understanding of the conscious intellect and what the peyote has taught the subconscious mind (3). Psychedelics have a lot to offer misguided youth especially in today s society. Entheogens have mellowed me out and helped me with my alcoholism (Lenny, Mcphaniel). If Entheogens can help out just one individual is it not worth looking into. These drugs are not for recreational use. They are merely tools for the psyche to help understand the unknown. You may choose use or abuse, and only you may choose (Jesus Fitzjareld). Our world society must realize the defference at hand. To use a drug to develop ones knowledge on it or a subject pending to it is not the same as abuse. There is a difference in abusing and using psychedelics. Using psychedelics, with the account of mind altering, you can use these chemicals to develop new ideas and new ways at looking at certain things. I do not like the way psychedelics are used for fun (Susie Greenburg). Recreational use of drugs these days are out of control. Today s youth must understand that psyhedelics are a dangerous toy, and a wicked when taken lightly. psychedelics feared by many. The misrepresentation and misunderstandings, which go along with them, is also feared. Humans fear the unknown and seldom come to accept it. Those who do may reap the benefits these drugs have to offer. Those who do not may wind up loosing their minds (Jesus fitzjareld). Those who decide to take psychedelics without full knowledge of the drug being ingested and those who do not take them seriously are the ones who go crazy. They have taught me to learn seek and discover the ways of the world (Rebecca Crowely). Psychedelics have made me more analytical of myself and everyday life. I am more convinced that there is a god than before. I feel more of a part of the human race. I feel everyone is in equality. I am a lot more relaxed and accepting of things (Frank Haroldson). Many of the people who have a psychedelic experience have something in common, the realization of God or the acceptance of a god. It seemed to make me think more of god and his existence. I never really believed in him until that night of November 2nd 1995 (Zack Monrow). These beautiful realizations should not be taken lightly. These poor misguided souls have been placed upon the correct path with the simple help of god own creation, psychedelics. Doing psychedelic drugs have made me more interested in the way in think and how others think as well. They have lead me to psychology as a profession. They have had a positive effect on my life (Jesabel Satanos). People being pointed towards careers and accomplishing what psychedelics sparked within their inquisitive young minds. They have been good. Psychedelics took me from a really bad place and put my in a really good place. They made me look at my life in different ways and break a mindset that was self-destructive. I saw the big picture in life. And they helped me find god. I think they made me better at math, because I was never really good at math before I stated tripping (Susie Greenburg). With all these positive results should the world continue to ignore the wonders psychedelics have had to offer and still offer today. There are basically three kinds of trips, to find myself, to find god, to find another, but the all involve a search in order to find what one is looking for. Usually when one searches for something all that person wishes to know is the truth. And psychedelics can offer that despite what one may believe. My shroom trip was the most connective and revealing trip I ve ever had, it was spiritually enlightening (Susie Greenburg). This quote express all three trips within one dealing with psilocybin mushrooms. The connective was with another, the revealing was with herself, and the spiritual enlightenment was with god. These psychic links psychedelics have to offer is crazy. You really cannot understand unless you have been their (Joan Ovarch). These psychic links referred to should be studied by neurobiologists and should not be taken lightly.
Psychedelics have proven to possess a wide variety of medicinal purposes. People who suffer from personality disorders such as alcoholism, obsessive compulsive behavior, depression, and schizophrenia. Psilocybin is the main drug being tested to cur schizophrenia (Taylor 3-4). Peyote is a psychedelic cactus, which contains many alkaloids, but is most widely known for mescaline, the active psychoactive ingredient. Peyote also contains alkaloids such as hordenine and tyramine, which have antibacterial properties. These alkaloids also help certain illness , such as arthritis, influenza, intestinal disorders, diabetes, scorpion bites, and datura poisoning (Adam 3). Constant oppression from governments worldwide has put a halt upon the psychotherapeutic ways (Eugene 3). If people would accept the good things, psychedelics can offer some of the ill people within our society, then maybe we could find cures to such mind-boggling illnesses such as schizophrenia or depression. The testing of these drugs may prove to be a large step in developing cures for many unknown diseases of the future or old frustrating illnesses of the past. Although all this good may come from psychotherapeutic testing, governments refuse to accept psychedelics within the known medical field.
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